Conversion and valorization of tropical macroalgae

Abstract

Macroalgae, as well as carbonaceous materials prepared from them, offer several promising avenues for pollution control and environmental remediation purposes. Such macroalgae can be used in wastewater treatment processes to remove pollutants such as heavy metals or organic compounds. Sargassum spp., a well-known tropical macroalgae, which are very abundant due to frequent beaching on the coastlines of the Caribbean, Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico during the last 12 years, represents a high number of available resources. They can be used as precursors for the synthesis of biochars and activated carbons, not only for pollutant removal from water but also for pollutant sequestration in soils. To optimize biomass valorization, carbonaceous materials can also be produced within the algae biorefinery process. The use of molecular modeling is proposed as a potential strategy for the greening of adsorption processes studies, allowing for the prediction and understanding of adsorption mechanisms.